Bocombe Mill Cottage

In 2015 the 5 acres of Bocombe Mill Cottage Garden will, for the tenth year, be open exclusively for the benefit of the National Gardens Scheme (NGS). All of the money from our Admission Charges and sales of Homemade Teas go directly to the NGS, which supports charities such as Macmillan Cancer Support and many more. Our open days are:

The whole Bank Holiday weekend at the end of May, that’s Saturday 23rd, Sunday 24th and Monday 25th May. From 12 noon to 5pm.
Plus, in June, Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th at the same times

If you're a group of 10 or more you can make an appointment for visits with guided tours from the beginning of March until the end of September.

A couple of years ago a good friend in Cornwall gave us some self-set Tree Ferns, Dicksonia antarctica. They were all small. This is the largest specimen, though as you can see, the trunk has only grown to around 8in tall. We grew a variety of tree ferns for around 10 years, all in sheltered positions. Then a few sharp winters decimated them all, as happened at RHS Rosemoor, just down the lanes.

Tucked away among our thousands of trees is a Hermitage where Simon the Hermits lives. When approached he’s a friendly chap and will cheerfully show you round his Hermitage and adjacent Shell Grotto. Having lived in the valley at Bocombe, as he says “since before time began”, he’s very knowledgeable about the Mystery of St Bocombe, and the rest of the world!

Visit the gardens at Bocombe Mill Cottage to explore what many an Estate owner in the 18th century paid handsomely for – a live Hermit! Check Simon out here,